Moms Babies and Young Kids
WIC—Women, Infants and Children
WIC stands for Women, Infants and Children — and it’s here to help pregnant women, mothers, infants and young children stay healthy and eat right during times of important growth. The goal of the Program is to improve the health of pregnant women, infants and children (under 5 years) through better nutrition and access to health care. To be eligible for the WIC Program, applicants must meet categorical, residential, income and nutrition risk requirements. For more information and specific program requirements, visit our WIC Page.
WIC:
- Educates pregnant women and new moms about nutrition, with personalized assessments, counseling and support
- Provides pregnant women, new moms, infants and children (up to age 5) with nutritious supplemental foods
- Brings women the support they need to breastfeed their babies
- Offers referrals to additional social services and healthcare resources
Breastfeeding Peer Counselor Program
In 2004, Virginia WIC implemented the Loving Support Through Peer Counseling, Breastfeeding Peer Counselor Program. Loving Support© is funded by the United States Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Services and was developed by Best Start, Inc. This program aims to enhance the continuity of WIC’s breastfeeding promotion efforts by offering mother-to-mother breastfeeding support. Breastfeeding moms are eligible to receive a larger food package for a longer duration from WIC—ask for details at your appointment.
Receive Breastfeeding Support :
· Enroll in the Virginia WIC Program
• Attend your scheduled WIC appointment
• Request to meet with a Breastfeeding Peer Counselor
The LENOWISCO Health District also has 4 Certified Lactation Consultants available for consult along with the peer counselor.
Baby Care
Free education and case management services provided by a registered nurse for pregnant women and infants up to 2 years of age who are Medicaid eligible.
Resource Mothers
The Resource Mother is a Community Health worker who develops a mentoring relationship with first time pregnant and parenting teens and their family. From the prenatal period through the infant’s first birthday, the resource mother provides health education, discusses ways to prevent infant injury, models daily living skills, encourages constructive decision making and life-planning, connects the teen to community resources and provides guidance to assist the teen in making a successful transition to parenthood.
A Resource Mother is a Mentor who…
- Calls & comes to visit often
- Answers questions and helps her clients work on problem solving
- Refers to needed services
- Shares information and health education
- Help keep medical appointments for teen and her baby
- Works with clients to access health insurance and a medical home
- Makes a difference in the lives of young women and children
The program is designed to decrease the infant mortality rate and low birth weights among teen mothers. The program mentors pregnant teenagers up to the age of 19, from the prenatal period until the infant’s first birthday in a home visiting format. To improve birth outcomes for the teen and the baby, the program encourages early entry into prenatal care, smoking cessation, drug and alcohol avoidance, healthy nutrition, up-to-date immunizations for the teen and the baby, regular health care for the infant, returning to school or work for the teen, delay of repeat pregnancy and the development of a stable home for the teen and her baby with the help of her family and the baby’s father. Any pregnant teen is eligible for enrollment but preference is given to the first time pregnant teen.
Car Seat Program
The Child Passenger Safety Program focuses on promoting proper safety seat restraint use for children until they transition to the vehicle safety belt approximately birth through a height of 4’9”, the program focuses on the correct usage of child restraints among parents and caregivers through outreach and education, providing proper installation, and addressing the barriers that limit access to safety devices.
Our program offers FREE child safety seats and booster seats that are available for income eligible children. Parents, foster parents and legal guardians of children who reside in Virginia may apply. Parents must attend a short class to learn the correct placement and use of the car seat or booster seat. For more information, visit our Special Programs Page. To inquire about the availability of no-cost car safety seats or pack and plays, please contact your local health department.